CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Remember the Alamo! In the coming days Nueces County will be receiving a 203-pound bronze plaque highlighting the historic San Antonio site and its importance to the Texas Revolution. Specifically, it will contain the words of the famous 'Victory or Death' letter written by Lt. Col. William Barret Travis in 1836.
You might have seen it on display during a trip to the grounds of the Alamo.
Now a reproduction of the famous letter will soon be found at the Nueces County Courthouse.
"Excited to be apart of this, we are excited to be the initial run for it, were one of first three counties to get this done," Nueces County Judge Connie Scott said.
The plaque, a gift from the Alamo Letter Society.
3NEWS spoke to Bill McNutt, one of the society's founders who said the plaques started as an idea by a 7th grader, his daughter, after a visit to the Alamo.
"We later found out this thing weighs 202 pounds and has been there for nearly 100 years. It is viewed by 2.5 million people every year, and our daughter Sloan said, 'this should not be just at the Alamo, this should be all over Texas,'" he said.
Only 220 words long, the 'Victory or Death' letter was written by the 26-year-old commander of the Alamo, Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis as his men were outnumbered.
He wrote in part, "the enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion...I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls - I shall never surrender or retreat."
The 1836 siege of the Alamo: a battle cry in the Texas Revolution.
"When you look at it on a historic monumental plaque like that it affects you differently than if you read it in a textbook," he said.
The plaque will be located in the planters under the large Texas flag on the first floor of the Nueces County Courthouse.
The Alamo Letter Society's goal is to get the replicas in all 254 Texas courthouses.
"To have a piece of history and to remind folks, the current people, future citizens, of the freedom and price of freedom, and what so many of our ancestors have done in order for us to have that here, truly a great gift," said Scott.
Bill and his daughter Slone plan to both be in attendance for the ceremony which will take place next week.
The dedication will take place at the courthouse Thursday March 28 at 9 a.m. followed by a screening of the movie "The Alamo" at Cole Park on Friday. It'll start at 7:30 p.m.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- WATCH: 3NEWS Women's History Month Panel 2024
- Ramón Ayala farewell tour will stop in Corpus Christi in September
- Search for missing A&M-CC student Caleb Harris expands as CCPD brings in Dive and Recovery Team
- Islanders Women's Basketball celebrates at NCAA selection show watch party
- Concerns mount over safety after hit-and-run on SPID frontage road
- RECAP: 'Be a Hero' Blood Drive at KIII-TV3 Studios
- Corpus Christi mother makes emotional plea following son's death caused by wrong way intoxicated driver
- An update on the Tesla lithium plant in Robstown
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your daily news and exclusive extended interviews.
Do you have a news tip? Tell 3!
Email tell3@kiiitv.com so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.